


the things we seek in the dark

by lulahmonkey



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, And J'onn is the camp director, And Kara's one of those annoyingly charming people who are genius smart without trying, But that's another story, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Friends to Lovers, GUYS, Kara is not Supergirl in this btw, Lena wants to save the world, Little bit of angst, Little bit of slowburn, Minor Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers, Oh also Alex & Sam are counselors, She is just the Danvers' adopted daughter, She really wants to be a journalist, She's just there for Eliza, Summer Camp AU, SuperCorp, Supergay, They're super freaking cute, karlena, supercorp au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-10 12:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14736606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lulahmonkey/pseuds/lulahmonkey
Summary: Lena doesn't make friends, they just get in the way of her work. How's she supposed to change the world, when she's in enforced captivity with other "gifted scholars"///The Summer Camp AU nobody asked for. Lena's an angsty little genius, who thinks other people hold you back. Kara's crazy smart, but could not care less about "applying her gifts"They most definitely will butt heads, but will they be able to move past their differences or will they're animosity be too much for them to overcome?





	1. summer camp, really?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys,  
> So I don't know if this has been done before, but I decided to write it because it's something I want to read and have not been able to find.  
> I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are my own.  
> Please let me know if you want me to keep going, and feel free to leave your opinions down below :)

Lena Luthor did not want friends. 

They were not a necessity, and frankly they were a distraction. From what she’d observed of her peers, they would not make good companions anyway, too absorbed in their fleeting romances and their self perpetuating cycles of drama.

No she definitely did not need friends, so there was no point in her mother sending her to this stupid summer camp. She was seventeen for god’s sake, and the prestige of attending such an academy meant nothing to her. She was certain she’d get much more done in her lab at home, with no distractions or interruptions to be seen or heard for miles.

No doubt these other “scholars” would just be interested in fun projects and other silly distractions. She had no time for such ridiculousness. She was Lena Elizabeth Luthor and she was going to make a difference. Her work was going to change the world.

This summer camp nonsense was beneath her, and was only going to impede her progress. Nonetheless Lillian had decided, and what Lillian wants she gets.

///

The car pulled up to the entrance of the Luthor’s manor, and Lena sulked whilst Jonathan loaded her trunks into the back.

“Be careful!” she cried out to Jonathan “My microscope’s in there,” she looked at him disparagingly “it undoubtedly costs more than your entire home.” She watched him wither under her glare, and regret instantly coiled around her stomach, she knew she was being a bitch. 

No, worse than that she was being Lillian.

She grabbed her last trunk and hauled it over to where Jonathan was rearranging those already in the car to make space. “Sorry Jonathan, I… I didn’t mean it to… to come out like that” she could feel her face turning red, and her palms began to sweat “I… it’s just this isn’t… it’s just.” He cut her off “Miss Lena, I’ve known you since you were eight years old it would take a lot more than a thoughtless comment like that to upset me” she raised her head defensively at that. 

She wasn’t thoughtless! She just... 

They made eye contact and he winked at her “If you don’t mind me saying , Miss Lena you really shouldn’t take yourself so seriously.” He nudged her arm “You’re only young once you know, you should take advantage of this, camp, academy, thing” She laughed him off and said she’d think about it.

As she climbed into the car, she rifled through her backpack looking for her headphones. Despite how interesting Jonathan’s stories were, she wanted to spend the next five and a half hours planning out her newest project, sans interruptions. 

///

Two and a half hours into the drive, and she had made zero progress. 

Screw it, it was pointless to keep trying in such an environment, it was obviously not conducive to good work. It made more sense to spend the next three hours sleeping anyway, she should at least attempt to catch up on sleep. 

She’d spent more nights in her lab, than her bed over the last three weeks. Trying to get as much done as possible before she was dragged off to this summer camp horror show.

She switched to her soft indie reading music, and stared out the window. As she felt her sleep deprived body begin to slip off into this long awaited nap, she caught a glimpse of the sea. Maybe it was that picturesque scene or maybe the drowsiness, but for the first time into months she felt a murmur of excitement drift through her mind.

Maybe this was just where she needed to be, maybe it would be… fun.


	2. The F*cking Cases

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena Luthor, genius, defeated by... suitcases?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody,  
> Thanks for waiting for this update so patiently :)  
> My plan is for there to be about a day or so between updates, but we'll see.  
> Enjoy x

Lena woke up with a start, disoriented and unsure where she was. She looked up and saw Jonathan staring at her, “Sorry to alarm you, but we’ve arrived Miss Lena.” 

Lena peered around the driver towards the camp, she’d read the pamphlet her mother had given her, but she was still surprised by the grandeur of the buildings. As she clambered out of the car she realized the buildings were the only ones for miles. As far as the eye could see there was just forest. It was beautiful, but Lena was less concerned with the view than she was the horde of teenagers she could see ambling around the main office.

Okay, maybe horde was an exaggeration. There were only twenty campers in attendance - ten girls, seven boys, and three non-binary persons - if Lena remembered correctly. The camp was run mostly by ex-attendees, the ten counselors handpicked by Hank Henshaw himself.

That was another reason Lena had given in so easily to her mother’s coercion, she had idolized Hank Henshaw since she was five years old. He was a brilliant astrophysicist & the inspiration behind so much of her work. When she found out that not only had he personally accepted her application, but had reached out to her mother and asked for one, after watching HER Ted Talk on antimatter, she new she had to go. She still did her best to make it difficult for her mother though, because how else was she supposed to have fun.

She was pulled out of her daze by the thump of her suitcases landing next to her, “Your mother said you could handle registration by yourself, Miss Lena.” Jonathan walked over and squeezed her arm gently “But I’m happy to stay if you want me to.” She smiled at him “Don’t worry about me Jonathan, you know I can take care of myself.” He smiled back, but looked at her with something like sadness in his eyes, something like he pity. 

She hated that look.

“Well, that’ll be all, safe drive back now.” She said, and firmly shooed him off.

///

It took less than a minute from Jonathan driving off for Lena to realize she’d fucked up. She had four heavy trunks and, to put it kindly, absolutely no upper body strength. She kicked herself for not thinking that one through.

She grabbed the first one and pulled. No luck. 

She supposed she’d have to go up to the office and see if she could find someone, but did she really want to leave her trunks with their very delicate, very expensive content out for any random to knock over or steal. 

No, she had to figure out a way to get them over herself. She was Lena Luthor for god’s sake, surely she could figure a way to move four measly trunks. 

She spent five minutes trying to come up with a plan, and the best one she had was to find a big stick and use it as a lever. It was that or just sit and wait for someone to come looking for her. 

God that would be embarrassing, some genius she is, can’t even get her trunks the hundred or so yards to the main office building.

///

Lena did not find a stick. She was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by trees, but sticks? There were none. The sun was setting by this point and the longer she sat there, the more ridiculous she felt. She decided to have another try at shoving them, fueled by determination, rage, and the fear of public embarrassment she threw herself at her trunk. 

Nothing. 

Again.

Nothing.

Again, and this time she swore she could feel the slightest shift. 

Finally!

She was getting somewhere!

She threw her full bodily weight at the case and felt it jump forward & bump against the curb. She couldn't believe it. She yelped and did her version of a little victory dance, which included violently shaking her head, flailing her arms and lots of jumping around.

Being emboldened by her two successful attempts, she decided she could get it up the curb. She gave herself some extra space for a little run up to the case and steeled herself, ready for attack. 

Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

She charged at the trunk, arms first, bracing herself for impact. It was only as she felt her body collide with the case she realized her mistake. 

Objects in motion stay in motion, if the trunk kept going so did she. 

The case tipped over the curb, and down she went. 

///

Lena blinked hard, she wasn’t sure what exactly what had just happened, but she was now lying face down in the grass. Her hands and knees were stinging, and she was pretty sure she’d split her lip.

“FUCK” 

She screamed into the ground, but the ground did not reply. She went limp, she wasn’t sure whether to scream again or cry. She was tired and she was sore and she didn’t even want to be at summer camp in the first place.

This never would've happened in her lab at home.

Or if she'd just asked Jonathan for help in the first place.

She snapped out of her pity party when she felt something warm press against the small of her back. It was solid, but not hard. A small animal, a squirrel? 

God she hoped not.

No, it wasn't an animal, a hand maybe. 

Oh god, someone had spotted her. Public humiliation was rapidly approaching. There goes the intimidating, badass front she was going to pull to scare people away.

She rolled onto her side, ready to begin some kind of spiel about cases and drivers and needing to work out more.

But the words never got past her lips, because crouching over her disheveled body, reaching out a hand to help pull her up off the grass was the most incredible girl she’d ever seen.

Ocean eyes twinkled with mischief, as the girls hand reached for Lena's.

“Need a little help there gorgeous?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want updates?  
> Follow me on tumblr @being-better-is :)

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @being-better-is  
> Feel free to drop me a message or follow to keep up to date with when I post xx


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